Austrian Dairy Industry: An Overview
Austria is renowned for its high-quality dairy products, which play a crucial role in the national economy. The country's dairy sector benefits from its natural resources and advanced farming techniques, contributing to a robust industry.
Milk Production
Austria produces approximately 3.8 billion liters of milk annually. The favorable climate and rich pastures significantly contribute to this substantial output, ensuring that Austria remains a key player in the European dairy market.
Dairy Cattle
There are about 540,000 dairy cows in Austria, primarily raised on family-owned farms. These operations ensure high standards of animal welfare and milk quality, with Fleckvieh cattle comprising 87% of the herd. In 2021, the average Fleckvieh herd in Austria produced 7,834 kg of milk with a fat content of 4.16% and protein at 3.44%.
Milk Processing
The volume of milk processed annually in Austria is around 3.5 billion liters. The country boasts a well-developed processing infrastructure that supports a diverse range of dairy products.
Cheese Production
Austria produces approximately 200,000 tons of cheese each year. Popular varieties such as Bergkäse and Emmental are appreciated both within the country and internationally.
Milk Powder and Whey Production
Annually, Austria produces around 50,000 tons of milk powder and 20,000 tons of whey, further diversifying its dairy product offerings.
Key Enterprises
The Austrian dairy industry is supported by key enterprises including Berglandmilch, NÖM AG, SalzburgMilch, Ennstal Milch, and Kärntnermilch. These companies play a significant role in maintaining the strength and innovation of the sector.
Major Dairy Farms
Some of the major dairy farms in Austria include Biohof Achleitner, Pell-Menghof, Bauernhof Maurer, GailtalBauer, and Reitbauerhof. These farms exemplify the family-owned nature of Austria's dairy farming tradition.
Export and Import of Dairy Products
Austria exports around €1.4 billion worth of dairy products each year, with key markets including Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands. Conversely, the country imports dairy products worth approximately €800 million annually, mainly from other EU countries.
Recent Developments
Recent developments in the Austrian dairy market include Lactalis's plans to acquire BMI dairy assets. Berglandmilch has pioneered aluminum-free aseptic carton packaging. Cargill Animal Nutrition & Health expanded its Engerwitzdorf facility, while Burger King Austria introduced Oatly's Baristamatic oat milk. SalzburgMilch adopted the SIG DomeMini packaging solution. Austria has transformed its dairy industry, with 52% of cows now on farms with 30-100 cows. The nation is among the leading dairy growth countries in the EU and a source of cattle imports to Kazakhstan. Discreet removals of contaminated infant formula batches were carried out in distribution chains.
Recognition
Austrian dairy producer Schärdinger received several awards at the World Championship Cheese Contest 2026. SalzburgMilch, Austria’s third-largest dairy company, processed 344 million kg of milk in 2025, including over 203 million kg of specialty milk varieties. Berglandmilch is expanding its production capabilities at the Aschbach facility, one of eight production facilities across five Austrian federal states.
Modified: 2026/08/17